System and method of generating a pattern or image on fabric with linear laser irradiation, fabric made by said method, and products made with said fabric

Abstract

A method of scribing abrasion aesthetics, patterns, images, serial numbers, ply markings and/or other information, such as sizing or care information, on fabric such as denim, before or during the fabric cutting process is provided. The method comprises loading the panel abrasion software, pattern marker software, and fabric scribing software; placing the fabric on a flat surface under at least one laser; laser scribing ply numbers, serial labels, fabric markers, and panel abrasions on the fabric; cutting the fabric into fabric lengths; spreading the pre-abraded and pre-marked fabric lengths on top of each other to create multiple plies in precise alignment; cutting shaped panels along the lines of the pattern marker with a conventional knife, laser, or other appropriate cutting tool; and stacking the abraded, labeled and shaped panels robotically or manually for sewing.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for generating a design on a surface of a fabric with laser irradiation, comprising:
 a laser system comprising software programmed with a plurality of designs based on a plurality of garment sizes and a plurality of garment styles, each different combination of garment size and garment style being associated with a respective plurality of panel shapes that are configured for assembly with one another into a respective garment, wherein the designs of the different combinations of garment size and garment style programmed in the software differ from one another; 
 wherein the software allows a user to select a design from the plurality of designs; 
 wherein the software allows a user to select a garment size and a garment style from the plurality of garment sizes and the plurality of garment styles; and 
 wherein the software controls the laser system so that the selected design is lazed onto areas of a fabric corresponding to the respective plurality of panel shapes of the combination of the selected garment size and the selected garment style prior to assembly of the respective plurality of panel shapes into the garment. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of designs comprises a plurality of abrasion patterns. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the garment sizes comprises a range of garment sizes. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the range of garment sizes is 3 or more sizes. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the selected design simulates an appearance of stone washing. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the garment size comprises waist and length information. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the garment style comprises leg cut type information. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the leg cut type information includes skinny leg, straight leg, and boot cut. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of panel shapes includes margins for sewing. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the margins for sewing include margins for seams and fabric folds. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the software controls the laser system to minimize fabric waste and to maximize output of lazed fabric. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the software controls the laser system to cut the fabric to panel shapes corresponding to the selected garment size and garment style. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the software controls the laser system to selectively abrade the fabric. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the laser system comprises a first laser configured to abrade and to scribe the fabric, and a second laser configured to cut the fabric. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the laser system comprises a first set of lasers configured to abrade the fabric, and a second set of lasers configured to cut the fabric. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric is denim or twill. 
     
     
       17. A method for generating a pattern on a surface of a fabric, comprising the steps of:
 providing the system of  claim 1 ; 
 positioning fabric in operable association with the laser system; 
 selecting a design from the plurality of designs; 
 selecting a garment size and a garment style from the plurality of garment sizes and the plurality of garment styles; and 
 controlling the laser system with the software to abrade and/or etch the selected design on the fabric and to cut a panel shape corresponding to the selected garment size and the selected garment style. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the selected design comprises a recurring pattern. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the controlling step includes etching information about the fabric panel, the information comprising at least one of a serial number, code, ply marker, product information, or assembly instruction. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the controlling step includes abrading the fabric in either continuous linear fashion or by indexing.